Click on for a countdown of the best Bay Area coffee shops for working on your computer.

Click on for a countdown of the best Bay Area coffee shops for working on your computer.

Photo: @hipatrickstar/instagram

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The Living Room & Caffé Central at UCSF Library

It’s not so much that the third-floor coffee shop here is legendary – though it’s perfectly adequate with a full food and pastry menu, ample seating, and organic coffee. But there’s a reason why we included the library itself in our roundup of Bay Area things to do for fun off the beaten path. Here you can be productive in silence while enjoying a view of the Golden Gate Bridge that any tourist would love. Non-students are welcome here, though because of that you may have to compete for said tremendous views and other seating.

You know a coffee shop takes their telecommuters seriously when it has an online work guide with seating chart designating where they can and can’t use laptops during peak hours. This place gets high marks all around for its industrial-chic setting with lofted ceiling, abundance of outlets, quality coffee, variety of food and pastries, and even (gasp!) street parking.

This is the original Philz, and it still maintains its rep as a great place to get work done. You can choose from the amply sized tables or leather couches – just be warned that the word on this place got out a long time ago, so you may need to be patient for a spot. Philz has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its coffee (the iced mint mojito is like the hipster pumpkin spice latte) and there are enough snacks on hand to sustain you.

While you’ll need to respect some house rules regarding laptops – they always keep one table laptop-free – this place is still a favorite telecommuting spot among Inner Richmonders. Why? Artis coffee, for starters, plus a worthy food menu that includes a breakfast sandwich on a brioche bun, and a chill atmosphere. One caveat: outlets here are scarce.

Like Royal Ground, Martha & Bros has several SF locations to choose from, but the one on 24th Street in Noe Valley gets some style points for its pleasant outdoor seating area. But if you’d rather focus on work inside, you have all the requisites: free WiFi, outlets, and food options. Also, one source tells us they actually make a respectable cup of decaf, which is hard to come by.

Even though they cater to a non-telecommuting crowd much of the time, and they’re on a busy street in Hayes Valley, Arlequin still manages to keep a neighborhoody feel with plenty of room to set up shop. A big bonus is the backyard patio, but a close second is the food: the pastries and salads are sure to keep you going late. And when you go late, there’s a healthy wine and beer list, too.

It’s debatable whether this place is more social than study — they open at noon and they’re very much a bar in the evening. But during day hours, the vibe here is tough to beat — think exposed-brick wall, books on shelves and a chill playlist. Plus, they have these odd leather seats that pull out of the wall. The food menu includes a Cuban sandwich and potato bruschetta.

This wouldn’t be San Francisco if people didn’t find a way to disrupt the typical telecommuter coffee shop. And Workshop Café does it well: Yes, you have to pay $2-$3 an hour for a seat with Wi-Fi and an outlet, but you also have a peaceful, spacious workspace with high-octane WiFi that you can use until 10 p.m. This being the city of delivery apps, of course you can have your food and drinks brought to your seat. For you high-power telecommuters, private rooms are available by reservation.

OK, so any place named the Capitol One Café is going to be more corporate than a Starbucks inside another Starbucks. But like the Workshop Café, this Financial District spot is all about catering to telecommuters in a modern, three-level space. With beanbag chairs. Conference rooms are available for reservation, and if you happen to use the Capitol One 360 card, you’ll get 50 percent off your coffee. Yes, that coffee is Peet’s, but still.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more San Francisco hangout than this: a tea room/community space with exposed brick and décor straight out of a Zen-décor catalogue, very chill playlist, floor cushions to sit on, an on-site Tarot card reader, nighttime events that include meditation and capoeira workshops, and even an old-timey piano if you get bored. There’s also free WiFi and they’re open from 2 to 10 p.m. A freshly brewed pot of tea costs $10, but if you pay a monthly $49 membership free, you can guzzle down all you want for free. One caveat: we found cell reception almost non-existent in the back room.

You might be mistaken for hanging out in a SoMa tech entrepreneur’s living room in this modern café just across the street from AT&T Park. There’s a patio outside, but you might prefer to work on the leather chairs inside. This place gets high marks for speedy WiFi, abundant outlets, hip décor, and a food menu that includes breakfast and sandwiches. There’s wine and beer too, should you want to celebrate a job well done. Notes: you’ll need to sign into the WiFi with an email/Facebook account. Also, they close at 4 p.m. on weekends.

A common Catch 22 of San Francisco coffee shops is that the better their quality of coffee, the worse they are as a workspace (hello, Four Barrel). Contraband is a delightful exception: a true Nob Hill neighborhood gathering spot with hipster bona fides and a friendly working space. The room is always well lit, the coffee and chai are exceptional, and you’re usually sure to find a seat and an outlet at the large center table. Plus, they’re open until 9 p.m. every day but Sunday, which is later than most.

When ordering just a conventional cup of coffee starts to get boring, this Mexican-influenced café in Bernal Heights comes to your rescue. Tierra Mia is famous for their iced horchata lattes and frappucinos, with a spacious, well-lit interior for getting work done and an outdoor area for taking a break. They have pastries to nosh on, as well.

Sit down with your laptop and one of the popular scones here, and work the day away. The Hayes Valley café benefits from lots of natural light and high ceilings, so claustrophobes will be comfortable here. There are ample outlets by the wall, but keep an eye out to see if the table in the mezzanine is free for an extra-cool setting. The lunch and caffeinated options are both solid. One downside: they close at 5.

SF purists be damned, we had to include one Starbucks in this feature. Yes, they’re cliché, their playlists are unimaginative and their coffee is over-roasted. But this homogeneity also means every Starbucks has lots of outlets and reliable WiFi, and laptop warriors rarely get hassled about long stays. We’re including the Starbucks at 3595 California St. because they’re open 24 hours, seven days a week — a rare find indeed. Of course, tons of students know this, so you may need some patience before a table or outlet opens up. All the more reason to chillax to some John Mayer tunes.

If IKEA had a love child with its local hipster coffee shop, it would probably look something like this. The minimalist, wooden interior here lends a chill atmosphere that’s highly conducive for work, with plenty of seating and outlets to help you out. The wood motif extends to the high walls on the back patio, which is a relaxing way to pass some time.

Haight Street may be gentrified, but this coffee shop maintains its scruffy feel. If you don’t mind the un-trendy interior, there are lots of tables and couches to set up at, with a cozy library area toward the back. This being the Haight, a popular drink is the Flower Power: a dirty chai with vanilla.

Are we actually recommending working from a Financial District bank? Yes we are, when that bank has free WiFi, free coffee and tea, and free meeting-room (with reservation) and printer use. Plus a clean, modern space to sit with outlets. Even if you don’t have an account here, the staff is known to be friendly and accommodating. One note: This being a bank, they’re closed Sundays. If you spend so much time here that you start muttering interest rates in your sleep, that’s on you.

Maybe working at coffee shops isn’t your thing. Maybe you have a job that doesn’t require peak sobriety. Maybe you’d rather work in a hipster-approved space with reclaimed wood, funky art on the wall, and dogs running around, while sipping locally brewed IPA. If so, get thee to Black Hammer, found just a few blocks from AT&T Park. Few will call this a telecommuter spot, but there are a surprising number of outlets and free WiFi anyway. They don’t serve food, but you can bring your own. Also, they’re open until 11 p.m. or midnight.

If you think you can concentrate on your work within steps of Ocean Beach, this Outer Sunset joint is the office for you. The vibe is as relaxed as you’d expect from a beach-side coffee shop, and the sandwiches and pastries get high marks. They’re even open to a very un-chill late hour of 11 p.m.

This Hayes Valley spot meets all the coffee-shop snob requirements, including a clean modern space, almond milk, and top-notch lattes. Of course you’re paying $4.25 for that latte, so we hope your telecommuting job pays well. There isn’t a ton of seating here, so you may need to walk over to Arelquin on Hayes Street if it’s a busy day. We should also note that Artis has a larger location in Berkeley that also fits the bill.

There’s a lot to love about this Russian Hill spot, from the friendly baristas to the outstanding coffee to the all-white, high-ceilinged interior that any Apple aficionado would love. What’s not to love? There are no outlets at all on the bottom floor, with only a couple of places to plug in on the mezzanine level. Also, there’s no WiFi on the weekends, so only those who tether their phones have good reason to work here on those days.

This Sausalito spot used to be called Caffe Trieste, and it’s where many locals who’d rather not drive into SF go to work. There are just a few outlets, but it’s hard to beat the European cafe ambiance that’s steps away from a marina and the picturesque Sausalito shore. They have big windows that open to the street on sunny days. Sometimes tourists trickle into the café, but it will always be more of a locals place.

These guys claim to have Oakland’s first parklet, and you can distract yourself nicely by sipping a macchiato and enjoying the view of Grand Street in Uptown. Or you enjoy a different vantage point by looking down from the shop’s upper level. In addition to being productive here, you can brag about patronizing drinks made by San Francisco companies: the coffee is from De La Paz, and the tea is from Five Mountains. There’s a variety of food options too, including frittatas and paninis. The one downside here: power outlets are scarce.

Even though it’s on a corner directly in front of a cable car line, this cozy Russian Hill café doesn’t get so full of tourists that you can’t work comfortably here. There’s a power outlet for every table along the wall, and ample food options: a favorite here is the $5 happy-hour pita pizza. A few notes: This place starts to become more of a bar after 6 p.m.d when the lights dim and the WiFi goes out. Also, there’s no WiFi here on weekends, and two tables are off-limits for laptops.

Do you need to get some work done in between shopping for some killer speakers? This SoMa café, connected to a high-end audio systems shop, has you covered. Some benefits to being here: Their $3 Blue Bottle coffee is more than a dollar less than what you’d pay nearby, they have Dynamo Donuts, and at if you’re around at mid-day, you can make use of their in-house latte artist for envy-inducing Instagram pics. The only real con here is the small size of the space, with the only outlets on a wall next to three tables. But on a Thursday afternoon we found room to sit, and the high ceilings here won’t make you feel cramped.

This Outer Richmond spot, which includes a garden patio, a bookshelf, and evening poetry readings, has “neighborhood hangout” written all over it – OK not literally, but you get the picture. They also have live music at night, which may or may not be a bonus if you have your head down. There are enough outlets to get by here and regulars love ordering the pie.

On some days, a sports bar is just the place you need to get some work done. Flying Pig, on Van Ness Street in the Mission, doesn’t market itself as a daytime work spot, but it has all the seating space and outlets of one, without all the laptop warriors. They serve breakfast and lunch, but this being a bar you may want to find someplace else in the evening hours.

You can take your pick of Royal Ground locations throughout SF and the East Bay – their Berkeley location is huge and can accommodate more laptops – but we like their Russian Hill shop for its homey feel. They recently installed new, longer tables in here with telecommuters specifically in mind, and you won’t have to compete for outlets here. The coffee is pedestrian, but the banh mi sandwiches are on point. An added bonus: they’re open until 11 p.m.

Stanza’s Inner Mission location walks the fine line between being just hipster enough to be interesting, without the cooler-than-thou vibe. You want your almond milk cappuccino? You got that here. There’s an ample seating area in the front, where the lighting is a little dark, but there's also a patio in the back, should you want to get some light.

With its vintage interior and murals on the wall, this place is the un-Marina coffee shop. It’s located adequately far from the bustle elsewhere on Chestnut Street, and it’s spacious inside with outlets, so you shouldn’t have to compete for workspace. The breakfast sandwiches are among the favorite food options here.

In the heart of downtown San Rafael is the perfect place for working away an afternoon. Aroma Cafe has plenty of big tables and outlets, delicious Mediterranean food, and friendly staff. While there are always a handful of people working or studying, it never feels overly crowded. Just don’t forget to bring cash, because it’s all they accept. They also make fresh juice, made to order.

Coffee-shop art is notoriously bad, as one episode of Portlandia expertly pointed out, but the wall art here actually adds to the neighborhood character of this Bernal Heights café. If you can’t find room to sit in the front, you’re likely to find it in the back room, with a full supply of outlets. The coffee here isn’t highly regarded, the wraps are decent.

The North Beach Reveille location has a little more room than the Castro one, with counters that face Columbus Street and a parklet should you want be outside. The décor is definitely on the modern, minimalist side, with trendy options such as avocado toast. The coffee here is a notch or two better than the standard mediocre stuff you’ll find elsewhere in North Beach, and outlets are aplenty.

Silicon Valley telecommuters will find themselves a good home in this Mountain View coffee shop, with two floors and ample space. The décor is more interesting than a Starbucks, and the food selection is better, too. The inflated coffee and tea prices are very much what you’d expect in the city where Google lives.

Four Barrel, located on Valencia Street in the Mission, may have set the standard for industrial-designed, spacious hipster coffee shops with excellent coffee and no WiFi or outlets. The only connected laptops you’ll see here are from people tethering their phones. Also, all that added conversation from people who aren’t working makes the noise level here louder than you might like.

Sightglass is two stories of hipster goodness in SoMa, with two levels of beautiful, lofty open space, top-notch coffee, and plenty of room to spread out. The downside is the WiFi, of which they have none.

Keep clicking to see which cities cater best to coffee-philes. Two reasons to read: #1 isn't Seattle, and we think #10 will surprise you...

Keep clicking to see which cities cater best to coffee-philes. Two reasons to read: #1 isn't Seattle, and we think #10 will surprise you...

Photo: Shutterstock

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15. Boise, ID

Total score: 54.15

15. Boise, ID

Total score: 54.15

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14. Atlanta, GA

Total score: 55.34

14. Atlanta, GA

Total score: 55.34

Photo: Jumper, Photodisc/Getty

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13. Tampa, FL

Total score: 55.54

13. Tampa, FL

Total score: 55.54

Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

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12. St. Louis, MO

Total score: 56.93

12. St. Louis, MO

Total score: 56.93

Photo: Whitney Curtis, Bloomberg

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11. Oakland, CA

Total score: 57.08

11. Oakland, CA

Total score: 57.08

Photo: Amy Osborne / The Chronicle

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10. Scottsdale, AZ

Total score: 57.73

10. Scottsdale, AZ

Total score: 57.73

Photo: Jaap Hart/Getty Images

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9. Cincinnati, OH

Total score: 59.54

9. Cincinnati, OH

Total score: 59.54

Photo: Erik Lykins, Getty Images

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8. Madison, WI

Total score: 60.00

8. Madison, WI

Total score: 60.00

Photo: Henryk Sadura, Getty Images

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7. New Orleans, LA

Total score: 60.22

7. New Orleans, LA

Total score: 60.22

Photo: ARTHUR D. LAUCK, MBR

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6. San Francisco, CA

Total score: 61.70

6. San Francisco, CA

Total score: 61.70

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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5. Orlando, FL

Total score: 61.70

5. Orlando, FL

Total score: 61.70

Photo: Handout, Getty Images

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4. Pittsburgh, PA

Total score: 63.62

4. Pittsburgh, PA

Total score: 63.62

Photo: Keith Srakocic / Associated Press

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3. Minneapolis, MN

Total score: 63.65

3. Minneapolis, MN

Total score: 63.65

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2. Seattle, WA

Total score: 64.87

2. Seattle, WA

Total score: 64.87

Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press

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1. Portland, OR

Total score: 68.62

1. Portland, OR

Total score: 68.62

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Best coffee shops in SF for telecommuting

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San Francisco loves to work, it loves a flexible lifestyle and it sure as heck loves coffee. So we should not be surprised that on an average weekday you can find as many people earning that rent money by working remotely from their local café as you'll find in a typical office.

But where to plant your laptop and toil the hours away? There's an inexact science to choosing the right café for telecommuting, and it involves a multitude of factors: WiFi access, power outlets, the quality of coffee, adequate space to sit, food to keep you fueled, a work-friendly noise level, late hours, a patio for getting some fresh air, and enough good interior design and character to keep you inspired no matter how tedious your work gets.

In the above gallery, we've rounded up many of the choicest telecommuting spots in San Francisco, with a sprinkling of other Bay Area locations. Most are coffee shops, but you'll find that some of the best under-the-radar locations can be found in a university library, Zen tea room, sports bar, brewery and a bank. A couple of them design their entire business model around telecommuters. And yes, we even included a Starbucks.

All of these places are known to be friendly to laptop warriors, though they each involve their own etiquette on where and when they want you there. We highlight those policies where they apply, but no matter where you go, be sure to tip your baristas and order stuff throughout your stay. Otherwise, you deserve to be fired from the premises.

ALSO

Skip to the end and we also give you some of the worst places for telecommuters, in most cases because the coffee shops want it that way. Several of them are cool enough to visit anyway, if you don't mind tethering your phone for Internet.